The Lakers didn’t win last night, but they kept the Heat within a manageable margin for most of the game. The players looked more in sync, Nash was commanding the floor, and the Lakers D, especially the half court defense, looked better. But the turnovers became such an issue, that D’Antoni himself blames them for the loss to the Heat.
The Lakers had 20 turnovers. 20. That is 20 possessions that could have been possible points. Think about it; the point difference was nine in the end, but for most of the match it was within four. I honestly believed the Lakers could have pulled off a win against the reigning NBA champs. It was a shame they didn’t.
LeBron and Wade were both tremendous last night, and even though the Lakers should have been equally matched in players like Dwight and Kobe, they couldn’t contain both of the Heat stars. Luckily for L.A., Miami struggled a bit in the middle of the game with putting away baskets. This kept the lead within a manageable distance, and the Lakers did take a half-time lead despite the 16 first half turnovers. Despite an increased game tempo and many more made baskets from Kobe, Dwight, and Gasol in the fourth, the Lakers didn’t have enough juice to take down Miami. The Heat won 99-90.
Pau Gasol returned to the Lakers rotation last night, after missing five games as a result of his concussion. Gasol played almost 25 minutes last night, but did not start. Gasol may continue to play off the bench, at least for the Lakers next game against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.
Lakers Nation News
Practice Report: Pau Gasol Likely to Come Off Bench Sunday
Lakers News: Dwight Howard Staying Upbeat Despite Loss
Dwight Howard Should Go Back To Smiling, Having Fun and Being Himself
Mike D’Antoni Points to Turnovers for Lakers’ Loss to Miami
Kobe Bryant Says He’s The Best One-On-One Player To Ever Do It
Lakers Keep It Close But Fall Short Against Miami At Staples
Lakers News
Breaking Down Earl Clark’s Time with the Los Angeles Lakers [Silver Screen and Roll]
LeBron Denies Lakers – Final Score: 99-90 [Silver Screen and Roll]
Kobe Bryant’s New Defensive Role is Ingenious [Silver Screen and Roll]
Lakers/Heat: LeBron’d Down the Stretch [Forum Blue and Gold]
Lakers Keep it Interesting [OC Register]
Steve Blake Sidelined at Least for Another Week [Inside the Lakers]
The Lakers are Right on Schedule, but is it Too Late? [ProBasketball]
James Bring the Heat, Tops Lakers [OC Register]
Tweet of the Night: Kobe Bryant [Sheridan Hoops]
Pau Gasol Returns but Kobe Bryant Hits Only Eight of His 25 Shots [LA Times]
Two-Game Winning Streak Comes to an End Against Defending NBA Champions [LA Daily News]
Payton Sees No Comparison to 2003-04 Lakers [Lakers Index]
Lakers Can Learn Plenty from Heat [ESPN]
Note to Lakers: Feed the Bigs! [Hang Time Blog]
4-Point Play: Defending Kobe [Eye on Basketball]
Mike D’Antoni Says it’s Possible Pau Gasol Will Still Come Off Bench [Inside the Lakers]
Dwight Howard’s (Fictional) Stand-Up Comedy Show [SB Nation]
Lakers’ Bryant Earns Record 15th Straight All-Star Game Nod [Lakers.com]
Get Serious: Fun-loving Dwight Howard is not the Lakers’ Problem [LA Times]
Opinions Differ on Team’s Potential All-Stars [LA Daily News]
Kobe Bryant Regards Himself as the Best One-on-One Player Ever [Eye On Basketball]
Lakers Don’t Yet Know How to be Winners [OC Register]
Kobe says he destroyed T-Mac one-on-one, T-Mac denies notion [Sheridan Hoops]
Rapid Reaction: Heat 99, Lakers 90 [Lakers Index]
NBA News
Phoenix Suns Finally Turn the Page [ESPN Insider]
Thoughts On The West All-Star Reserves [NBA.com]
David Stern Says Any Team Eavesdropping on an Opponent will Face Sanctions from League [ESPN NY]
Investigation Questions Whether NBPA Should Break Ties with Billy Hunter [Yahoo! Sports]
NBA All Star Starters Announced [ESPN]
Breaking Down Spurs’ Blowout Over Grizzlies [Sheridan Hoops]
Where Have All the Gunners Gone? [True Hoop]
Rubio Returns to Timberwolves’ Starting Lineup [NBA.com]
NBA Player Representatives Never Approved Union Leader’s $15 Million Contract [Yahoo! Sports]
Ugly Gets Uglier as the Clippers Defeat the Injury-Riddled Timberwovles [ProBasketballTalk]
Trade Watch: Who’s on the Block? [ESPN Insider]
Kobe Bryant Talks MJ, LeBron & ‘Django’ [Fandom]
2013 NBA All-Star Game: Picking the Reserves [SB Nation]
Who Deserves an All Star Spot [ESPN]
Warriors Downplay Curry Ankle Injury [NBA.com]
Three Good, Three Bad From the All-Star Starters [Eye On Basketball]
Great Rivalries: The HP Edition [Hardwood Paroxysm]
Nate Robinson is a Mascot Tripper [The Basketball Jones]
Cuban says Dirk Isn’t Getting Traded, “No Matter What” [Sheridan Hoops]
Picking the All Star Starters [ESPN Insider]